The Assessment of Attitudes of Students at Medical Schools towards Psychiatry and Psychiatric Patients—A Cross-Sectional Online Survey

The aim of the study was the assessment of the level of stigmatisation of psychiatric patients and psychiatry as a field of study by students at medical schools in Poland and the comparison of students’ attitudes over the years. The study was conducted based on a proprietary questionnaire assessing the stage of tertiary education, sociodemographic status, and MICA-2 psychometric tool that is used for assessing both the attitudes of students at medical schools towards psychiatry as a field of study and patients with mental health disorders. According to the MICA score, those who have higher scores have more negative attitudes towards psychiatry. The survey consisted of two rounds at an interval of 3 years. Results. The first-round survey, conducted in 2017, involved 480 students. The second-round survey, conducted in 2020, involved 573 students. In both cases, women constituted the vast majority of respondents. Women, as well as medical major students, achieved significantly lower scores than men p < 0.001. The said relationship was also observed for individual experience with mental illness. There was no correlation between the MICA-2 total score and the psychiatry course completion—p = 0.105. However, the levels of stigmatisation are still high. The implementation of educational methods to improve the perception of psychiatric patients by students at medical schools should be taken into consideration. An increase in direct student–patient contact, for example, by means of intensive elective classes, could be beneficial.

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Medical Students’ Attitudes Towards Cardiothoracic Surgery in the United Kingdom: A Cross-Sectional Survey of 1675 Students

Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development ◽

10.1177/23821205211072722 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 238212052110727

Author(s):

Samiullah Dost ◽

Lana Al-Nusair ◽

Mai Shehab ◽

Arwa Hagana ◽

Aleena Hossain ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Extracurricular Activities ◽

Online Survey ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Medical Schools ◽

Cardiothoracic Surgery ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

Survey Responses

Objectives The objectives of this study were the following: (i) assess interest levels in cardiothoracic surgery (CTS) among UK-based medical students, (ii) identify potential motivators and barriers to pursuing CTS training, (iii) explore the influence of gender on interest in CTS in greater depth. Methods Medical students from all year groups across UK medical schools were invited to participate in a cross-sectional, national online survey. Responses were collected from 02/12/2019 to 08/12/2019. Results 1675 medical students from 31 UK medical schools responded, with an estimated 5.3% response rate. Of the respondents, 33.7% respondents reported having exposure to CTS, primarily through their medical school or through extracurricular activities (48.4% and 38.8%, respectively). When assessing interest in CTS, 31.4% were interested in undertaking a career in CTS, with a larger proportion of students expressing interest with no exposure to CTS than those with exposure. However, interest in pursuing CTS decreased with exposure as medical students transitioned from pre-clinical to clinical stages. Additionally, male participants were more interested in seeking a CTS post than their female counterparts (38% vs. 27.6%). The length of training ( p = 0.0009) and competitive nature ( p < 0.0001) of gaining a CTS post were the primary deterring factor for female participants, compared to their male counterparts. Conclusions This study shows the importance of quality of exposure and its impact on students’ interests in pursuing a career in CTS. The negative relationship between exposure and interest in CTS can be associated with the realisation of the challenges that come with pursuing CTS.

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The Assessment of Attitudes of Medical Doctors towards Psychiatric Patients—A Cross-Sectional Online Survey in Poland

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126419 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6419

Author(s):

Mateusz Babicki ◽

Kamila Kotowicz ◽

Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Average Score ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Career Stage ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Reliable Assessment ◽

Polish Society ◽

Psychometric Tool

(1) Introduction: Stigmatization is a multi-level process leading to depreciation of particular social groups. It is particularly visible among people suffering from mental illnesses. Patient stigmatization is a serious problem in psychiatric care; thus, a reliable assessment of its level is important in the context of effective medical interventions. The aim of this paper is to assess the level of stigmatization of psychiatric patients among doctors. (2) Methods: An online, quantitative, CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) study was conducted in the form of an anonymous, voluntary survey addressed to doctors working in Poland. The questionnaire questions included a socio-geographic assessment and questions assessing the level of stigmatization. A standardized psychometric tool, the MICA-4 Scale for doctors, was also used. The results obtained were compared with the evaluation of the existing reports on stigmatization among Polish society. (3) Results: 501 doctors of various specialties and at various stages of career participated in the study. Most of the respondents were women (75%). The average score of MICA-4 obtained by the respondents was 40.26 (minimum 17; maximum 67; SD 8.93). The women’s score was lower than the men’s (p = 0.034). (4) Conclusions: Stigmatization of psychiatric patients is a common phenomenon among doctors. The type of performed work and career stage has an impact on the perception of psychiatric patients. Specialists scored highest in the MICA-4 Scale, similarly to physicians of surgical fields. Due to the prevalence of the phenomenon of stigmatization, especially among people who are meant to provide patients with help, there is an urgent need to implement anti-stigma programs.

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Profilaxia Pré-Exposição para o Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana no Currículo Médico em Portugal: Uma Análise Transversal

Acta Médica Portuguesa ◽

10.20344/amp.15446 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 35 (13) ◽

Author(s):

Francisco Duarte ◽

Nuno Rua ◽

David Gomes ◽

Vasco Ricoca Peixoto ◽

Daniela Azevedo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Medical Schools ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

School Year ◽

Exposure Prophylaxis

Introduction: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has gained relevance as a method of prevention for HIV in certain people and settings. Following the publication of the guideline on PrEP prescribing in Portugal, we aimed to assess the knowledge of Portuguese Medical Students about PrEP.Material and Methods: An online survey was sent to Medical students of Portuguese Medical Schools. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the results and an analytic cross-sectional study to identify factors associated with “knowing about PrEP”, “having had one class about PrEP” and “identifying eligible groups correctly”.Results: Of the 796 students that responded to the survey, 64.6% were aware of what PrEP is. Of these, 34.44% acquired this knowledge during their training. Out of the total amount of respondents, 4.77% could identify correctly and completely the eligible groups for PrEP. As the training years went by, the probability of being aware of PrEP, having had one class about PrEP, and identifying the eligible groups correctly, increased. Of the sixth-year students, 43.48% had had one class about PrEP and among the students that were aware of PrEP, 28% identified what the eligible groups were. After adjusting for the school year, we found differences between Medical Schools regarding the outcomes. The association between the different ways of learning about PrEP and the ability to correctly identify eligible groups for PrEP was not statistically significant.Conclusion: The differences between Medical Schools could be harmonized through changes in the medical curricula that would allow this topic to be addressed more often.

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Nursing Students’ Attitudes towards Immigrants’ Social Rights

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17238875 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (23) ◽

pp. 8875

Author(s):

María Angustias Sánchez-Ojeda ◽

Silvia Navarro-Prado ◽

Adelina Martín-Salvador ◽

Trinidad Luque-Vara ◽

Elisabet Fernández-Gómez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nursing Students ◽

Cultural Diversity ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Social Rights ◽

Migrant Population ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Ex Post ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

The Right

The migrant population has increased in recent years and, as a result, so has cultural diversity. Universities are incorporating specific modules addressing cultural diversity. However, the native population has negative attitudes towards immigrants, as they believe that immigrants receive more social benefits and abuse healthcare services. Nurses may have these attitudes too, which may affect the way they treat patients. The objective of this study was to determine nursing students’ attitudes towards the rights of the migrant population. This is a descriptive ex post facto study using a cross-sectional design, with 821 nursing students in Melilla, Ceuta, and Almeria, Spain. An anonymous questionnaire was used for data collection. Students recognize the same rights for both the immigrant and native populations. More than 80% of the sample upholds the right of undocumented immigrants and their families to access publicly funded healthcare. Attitudes were more positive among students with a Berber background and first-year students. Students approved of the right of immigrants and their families to healthcare and education. The students’ negative attitudes towards the social rights of immigrants need to be addressed with intercultural training to reduce their prejudices as future professionals in a multicultural society.

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Assessing attitudes of patient-centred care among students in international chiropractic educational programs: a cross-sectional survey

Chiropractic & Manual Therapies ◽

10.1186/s12998-019-0263-x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Karin Hammerich ◽

Kent Stuber ◽

Sheilah Hogg-Johnson ◽

Anser Abbas ◽

Martin Harris ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

International Study ◽

Health Professions ◽

Educational Programs ◽

Chiropractic Care ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Patient Centred Care ◽

Students Attitudes

Abstract Background Patient-centred care is internationally recognized as a foundation of quality patient care. Attitudes of students towards patient-centred care have been assessed in various health professions. However, little is known how chiropractic students’ attitudes towards patient-centred care compare to those of other health professions or whether they vary internationally, and between academic programs. Objective To assess the association of select variables on student attitude towards patient-centred care among select chiropractic programs worldwide. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS) to assess students’ patient-centred attitudes towards the doctor-patient relationship. Eighteen items were scored on a 1 to 6 Likert scale; higher scores indicating more patient-centredness. All students from seven chiropractic educational programs worldwide were invited to complete an online survey. Results were analyzed descriptively and inferentially for overall, sharing and caring subscales. General linear regression models were used to assess the association of various factors with PPOS scores. Results There were 1858 respondents (48.9% response rate). Student average age was 24.7 (range = 17–58) years and 56.2% were female. The average overall PPOS score was 4.18 (SD = 0.48) and average sharing and caring subscale scores were 3.89 (SD = 0.64) and 4.48 (SD = 0.52), respectively. There were small but significant differences in all PPOS scores by gender, age, and program. Year/semester of study within a program typically was not associated with scores, neither was history of previous chiropractic care nor having family members who are health professionals. Conclusion This is the first international study assessing students’ attitudes of patient-centred care in chiropractic educational programs. We found small but significantly different PPOS scores between chiropractic programs worldwide that did not change across year/semester of study. Scores tended to be lower than those reported among medical students. Observed differences may be related to curricular content, extent of patient exposure and/or regional cultural realities.

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Que(e) rying undergraduate medical curricula: a cross-sectional online survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer content inclusion in UK undergraduate medical education

BMC Medical Education ◽

10.1186/s12909-021-02532-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Nicholas Tollemache ◽

Duncan Shrewsbury ◽

Carrie Llewellyn

Keyword(s):

Health Inequalities ◽

Online Survey ◽

Medical Training ◽

Good Practice ◽

Medical Schools ◽

Survey Respondent ◽

Lgbt Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

National Review ◽

Almost All

Abstract Background Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) individuals are more likely to have negative healthcare experiences and worse health outcomes when compared with their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. A key recommendation of the 2018 Stonewall-commissioned “LGBT in Britain” report was that the curricula, standards, and training provided by medical schools should be reviewed in order to encompass mandatory teaching about LGBT health inequalities and discrimination, LGBT-inclusive care and the use of appropriate language. The aim of our study was to conduct an in-depth national review of the content of LGBT teaching within the curricula of UK Medical Schools. Methods Course leads at all 37 UK Medical Schools with students currently enrolled in a primary undergraduate medical training course were asked between December 2019–March 2020 to complete a cross-sectional online survey comprised of 30 questions; divided into three sections relating to the current LGBT teaching (Part 1), any planned or future LGBT teaching (Part 2), and the opinions of the survey respondent about the coverage of LGBT topics (Part 3) at their institution. Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results Questionnaires were received from 19/37 institutions (response rate: 51%). The median estimated number of hours of LGBT-teaching across the entire undergraduate course was 11.0 (IQR: 12.25). Teaching on LGBT mental health, gender identity, sexual orientation, awareness of LGBT-health inequalities, and LGBT discrimination in healthcare were reported by almost all respondents, whilst maternity and childbirth, chronic disease and LGBT adolescent health were least represented within the curriculum. Almost all (18 medical schools; 95%) responding institutions were considering implementing new LGBT teaching within the next three academic years. A lack of space within the curriculum is a universally reported barrier to the implementation of LGBT teaching. Only 5 (26%) survey respondents consider their institution’s current coverage of LGBT topics to be “Good” or “Very good”. Conclusion Our study demonstrates a significant variation in the amount and breadth of content within the undergraduate curricula of UK medical schools. Recommendations for increasing the quantity and quality of LGBT content are provided, based upon areas of good practice.

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Gaps in Knowledge About SARS-CoV-2 & COVID-19 Among University Students Are Associated With Negative Attitudes Toward People With COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study in Cyprus

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.758030 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Nicos Middleton ◽

Constantinos Tsioutis ◽

Ourania Kolokotroni ◽

Alexandros Heraclides ◽

Panagiotis Theodosis-Nobelos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Doctoral Students ◽

Positive Attitude ◽

Online Survey ◽

Social Activity ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Control Measures ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negative Attitudes

University students represent a highly active group in terms of their social activity in the community and in the propagation of information on social media. We aimed to map the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of University students in Cyprus about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to guide targeted future measures and information campaigns. We used a cross-sectional online survey targeting all students in conventional, not distance-learning, programs in five major universities in the Republic of Cyprus. Students were invited to participate through the respective Studies and Student Welfare Office of each institution. The survey was made available in English and Greek on REDCap. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The questionnaire was developed based on a consensus to cover the main factual information directed by official channels toward the general public in Cyprus at the time of the survey. In addition to sociodemographic information (N = 8), the self-administered questionnaire consisted of 19 questions, assessing the knowledge regarding the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, infection prevention and control measures (N = 10), perceptions related to COVID-19, for instance, whether strict travel measures are necessary (N = 4), and attitudes toward a hypothetical person infected (N = 2). Furthermore, participants were asked to provide their own assessment of their knowledge about COVID-19 and specifically with regard to the main symptoms and ways of transmission (N = 3). The number of students who completed the survey was 3,641 (41% studying Health/Life Sciences). Amongst them, 68.8% responded correctly to at least 60% of knowledge-related questions. Misconceptions were identified in 30%. Only 29.1% expressed a positive attitude toward a hypothetical person with COVID-19 without projecting judgment (9.2%) or blame (38%). Odds of expressing a positive attitude increased by 18% (95% CI 13–24%; p < 0.001) per unit increase in knowledge. Postgraduate level education was predictive of better knowledge (odds ratio (OR) 1.81; 95% CI 1.34–2.46; p < 0.001 among doctoral students] and positive attitude [OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.01–1.80; p = 0.04). In this study, we show that specific knowledge gaps and misconceptions exist among University students about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and their prevalence is associated with negative attitudes toward people with COVID-19. Our findings highlight the integrated nature of knowledge and attitude and suggest that improvements to the former could contribute to improvements in the latter.

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Attitudes of Israeli Medical Students Towards the Medical Treatment of Uninsured Migrants

10.21203/rs.2.12590/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Zohar Mor ◽

Adam Cadesky ◽

Ran Halleluyan ◽

Rivka Sheffer

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Clinical Training ◽

Medical Training ◽

Medical Schools ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Professional Responsibilities ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

Societal Expectations

Abstract Background: Undocumented migration to developed countries poses practical concerns, as migrants are not medically insured. This cross-sectional study aims to appraise the attitudes of Israeli medical students towards the uninsured migrant population. Methods: Participants from five medical schools in Israel completed anonymous questionnaires in Hebrew, based on the "Medical Students’ Attitudes Toward the Underserved" (MSATU), which assessed students' attitudes regarding the professional responsibility and societal expectations towards the migrants. It also evaluated students' views of the migrants as eligible for expensive medical procedures. Results: A total of 891 students completed the survey with a median age of 28 years. The majority were Jews (N=816, 91.6%) and singles (N=681, 68.5%). Participants in the pre-clinical years were likely to be female and unmarried compared to those in clinical training. They also demonstrated higher scores on professional responsibilities and societal expectations than students in clinical training, but no significant differences were found in their views on expensive medical services. Students of minorities (non-Jews and migrants) scored higher on professional responsibilities and societal expectations. The scores for professional responsibilities and societal expectations decreased as students progressed in their medical training (Spearman coefficient p=0.04 and p=0.01, respectively). This trend was more apparent in males rather than females. Conclusion: MSATU scores declined as students progressed through medical school, with females maintaining more favorable attitudes than males. Medical schools should attempt to maintain the enthusiasm and idealism that students possess as they enter medical training and provide clinical experience with migrant populations that allows for cross-cultural communication.

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Australian paramedic students’ mental health literacy and attitudes towards mental health

The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice ◽

10.1108/jmhtep-03-2021-0027 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Shannon C. King ◽

Amanda L. Rebar ◽

Paul Oliveri ◽

Robert Stanton

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Literacy ◽

Emergency Services ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Content Type ◽

Use Of Emergency Services

Purpose Australian paramedics regularly encounter patients experiencing mental illness. However, some paramedics hold negative attitudes towards the use of emergency services in providing care for these patients. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the mental health literacy (MHL) of Australian paramedic students, and the training and experiential factors associated with MHL. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional online survey was delivered to paramedic students across Australia. A total of 94 paramedic students completed the survey examining MHL, mental health first aid (MHFA) intentions, confidence in providing help, personal and perceived stigma and willingness to interact with a person experiencing mental illness. Findings Participants generally had poor MHFA intentions in spite of good recognition of mental health disorders and good knowledge about mental health. Participants also demonstrated low stigmatising attitudes towards mental illness; however, they expressed a lack of willingness to interact with a person experiencing mental illness. Originality/value Our findings propose a combination of work-based experience and specific MHFA training may be beneficial to paramedic students to improve care for patients experiencing mental illness.

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Stigma and attitudes towards mental illness: Gender differences in a sample of Italian medical students

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1359 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. S739-S739 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M. Pascucci ◽

M. La Montagna ◽

D. Di Sabatino ◽

E. Stella ◽

R. Nicastro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Medical Students ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Female Gender ◽

Reference Points ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Students Attitudes

Introductionstigma in mental illness is characterized by discrimination towards people affected by mental disorder. Consequence of the paradigm “stigma-injury-discrimination” is the social exclusion of these patients and the denial of their rights. Medical students, those who should be important reference points for psychiatric patients, are instead one of the categories that contribute to their stigmatization.ObjectivesTo study the attitudes of medical students towards psychiatric patients.AimsThe present study analyzes gender differences in a sample of Italian medical students towards mental illness.MethodsA total of 339 Italian medical students completed a cross-sectional survey, in Rome and Foggia (Italy). We used the Italian version of Community Attitude towards the Mentally Ill test (CAMI) to analyze the students’ attitudes.ResultsThere is a substantial difference among the attitudes towards mental disorders in female and male students. Female students have obtained less stigmatizing results in 9 of the CAMI test items (P < 0.05), in Benevolence (P = 0.001) and Social Restrictiveness subscales (P = 0.043) and in the total score (P = 0.013).ConclusionsThese results are in line with those achieved in scientific literature, confirming that women tend to show more humanitarian attitude towards the mentally ill. Even in the original article of the validation of the CAMI test, the authors found better attitudes in women in all subscales, with the exception of Social Restrictiveness subscale (that in our analysis also correlates with the female gender).Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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